20 January 2013

SNOWED IN

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A POOR LIFE THIS, IF FULL OF CARE,

WE HAVE NO TIME TO SIT AND STARE.

The snow is trying our patience at the moment.  It’s incredible how much more time it takes to do the ordinary things.  Like shopping, for us and for my dad.  And doing our bit to help the neighbours and so on, including anguishing over the plight of a little nuthatch that was sheltering on our doorstep.

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So much to do…….and so little time…….

Have a good week and I hope the snow doesn’t make life too hard for you, wherever you are.

16 comments:

  1. Snap Jean. It's much harder when you have to get out and about, so take care and keep warm.

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  2. Give the nuthatch a small box to climb into so it feels safe, with a little something soft and warm. Put out a bowl of water and some peanuts or dripping. Try not to disturb it, don't look at it more than a couple of times a day.

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    1. Thanks Susan, we've done that so let's hope it helps.

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  3. Hope that little bird survived, and hope you are keeping toasty warm. No snow here, just a huge amount of water everywhere although I don't think we will float away down the river just yet, but another night of rain might have us doing just that.

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  4. Take care and keep warm, everything slows down with snow. We've got about 10cm.

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  5. Oh the poor little creature! I do hope it survives but with the conditions you are experiencing it can't be much fun for any wild bird let alone one looking so weak and forlorn. You've done all you can. Keep yourselves warm and we hope things soon improve for you.

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  6. Please make sure that you put out water for the birds each morning... it will freeze during the day... but they will get a little first thing... repeat until freeze ends.
    Dehydration in a freeze is a bigger killer than the cold... they have the ability to cope with the cold... but not thirst.
    You must have got the message via Elizabeth...

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    1. Thanks Tim, we have a tray of water on the lawn under the bird feeders which we renew every day, also a saucer at the back of the house under the car port where our little friend seems to be hiding. We have put his box there if he wants to make a new nest in it. So we have given him, and all our birds, the best chance.

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    2. A good tip is to put a Brewbelt under a tray near the house and plug it in... or standing the container on a wooden box with a lit 40W bulb works... anything to raise the temperature of the water above freezing.
      A friend had a 100W bulb in a box and a dimmer switch indoors to control it... but that's getting really sophisticated!
      Aquarium heaters have been used as well... all sorts of methods are available... in Leeds I used to pour hot water from the kettle in at intervals... but I worked from home. Here, we have the bief... and there is always a low enough branch or a visible stone to perch on.

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  7. I am all for more 'sit and stare' time. It drives me mad to see people trying to run around as fast as they can like Red Queens.

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  8. No problems with snow here. It's so beautiful there, but I don't envy you the challenges the snow brings. So glad you're able to help that nuthatch (and your father and neighbors)!

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  9. Hope you can manage not to have to be out and about and can keep yourselves warm and cosy until the weather breaks. Ice is my great fear -- we have front steps and no rail which drives me 'round the bend when the thermometer goes below freezing. Good luck with the little bird...

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    1. Any news on t'Nuthatch?

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    2. Tim, we didn't see him until this afternoon when he was hopping about round the back of the house and has obviously been eating the peanuts etc we put out for him, so it's looking hopeful. Nick said he was flying around and visiting the back hedge. There is plenty of shelter for him around the back under the carport under all the builder's rammel, wheelbarrows, tarpaulins and so on. So I think he was probably one of the lucky ones.

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    3. Oh good!! I like Nuthatches... I spent a whole day once, when I was in forestry, watching the entrance to a nest hole being made smaller with mud!! They are striking birds... Pauline's seen one fleetingly here... but we get treecreepers quite regularly.

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  10. We walked to a repas yesterday because of snow. Much rain though overnight has washed it all away!

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